Here Comes the Rain Again
by WritingIsMyAddiction
Summary: Neither of them expected the sudden change in their relationship. It was more comfortable to hate one another, to fight at every opportunity. Emma welcomed the change, Regina wasn't so sure. And then to make matters worse, an unexpected visitor comes to Storybrooke and threatens everything.


Title: Here Comes the Rain Again

Rating: R

Pairing: Swan Queen

Disclaimer: All characters belong to ABC and Disney respectively.

Author's Note: I tried to keep true to the characters and as much of the show as possible. With a few exceptions, most noticeably for the purposes of this story Maleficent isn't dead. I'll explain throughout the course of the story.

Summary: Neither of them expected the sudden change in their relationship. It was more comfortable to hate one another, to fight at every opportunity. Emma welcomed the change, Regina wasn't so sure. And then to make matters worse, an unexpected visitor comes to Storybrooke and threatens everything.

**Chapter One: **

"Do you think that they are plotting something?" Neal asked his voice low as he leaned forward across the diner table so that his question couldn't be overheard. Emma looked up from her hot chocolate, clearly not expecting the question.

"What?" Emma asked, straightening her posture before looking at the counter where Henry sat with Ruby and Belle telling them all about his adventures in Neverland.

"Regina and my dad, do you think that they are up to something? It's weird to think we got back and no one has seen or heard from either of them. It's been months." Neal said trying to convey how strange that was.

"They aren't up to anything. Both of them risked their lives to get us off that God forsaken island. Why would they do that if they were going to just turn around and try and kill us again?" Emma asked in a harsh whisper. She was so tired of all of the fighting, of all of the deceit and the conniving plans to hurt each other. Emma just wanted peace; she wanted to be able to live with her son in a home that she had built. The first time she'd felt like she had a home in her entire life.

"You don't know that."

"Neither do you! Look, Neal you are looking for something that isn't there. You think that they are up to anything because for the first time in a long time things are going good. We have Henry, and we have a life here in this town. I'm willing to take that for as long as I can get it. And if they are planning something, which I doubt, I'm going to wait for them to actually do something before I go and accuse them of whatever it is you think they might be up to." Emma said trying to keep her voice low but knowing she was failing. Henry glanced over at his parents when he heard Emma's voice grow in volume. She smiled at him and hoped that it was enough to appease him.

"Alright, geez I'm sorry." Neal said, holding up his hands in surrender. He was surprised at the fervor Emma displayed in defense of two of the people who had directly or indirectly made her time in Storybrooke unpleasant.

"Regina loves Henry and she would not do anything to jeopardize the relationship that she is trying to fix with him. And Gold has a good thing going with Belle, why would he want to screw that up by trying to start something?" Emma challenged.

"I'm sorry. I just think that it's odd that's all. Neither of them are known for going back into the shadows and licking their wounds."

"Look, I have to get to work. Will you make sure the kids gets to school?" Emma asked standing up. Walking over to Henry and pressing a loving kiss on his head. It was such a practiced gesture now, she'd done it hundreds of times but it never ceased to give her a moment of pause. The son that she had given up for adoption was now back in her life and she was able to care for him in a way she wasn't ready to do when she was eighteen.

The crisp air outside of Granny's was welcoming, the sharp ache in her lungs as it tried to warm the air she breathed in. It took her a moment to process the conversation she'd had with Neal just a few moments ago. Why was she had been so ready to defend Regina and Gold again Neal? She should be on Neal's side. After all there was past precedent for all that Neal was implying. Regina and Gold had both proven that they couldn't be trusted, and to think that Regina would just let Henry stay with Emma without even trying to fight for him was beyond baffling.

But when the Jolly Roger pulled up in the Storybrooke Harbor and the rest of the town stood there waiting for them to emerge as victorious heroes, Regina had stood in the back. She had been the last off the boat because she was the only one that had no one to greet. Everyone that she cared about had been on that boat with her and couldn't wait to be off of it. She had watched as everyone hugged and smiled, happy to see one another and no one gave her a second glance if they looked at her at all. Regina had seen the way that Henry had smiled with the rest of his family. His family that didn't include her. And that's when she decided she was tired of fighting. She'd left the harbor without a word to anyone, disappearing into a cloud of purple smoke and reappearing in the foyer of her mansion.

Before Emma realized it she had turned from the familiar path to the Sheriff station and was heading in the opposite direction towards Mifflin Street. It was a longer walk than she expected, but it allowed Emma time to think. It gave her time to think about what she was about to do, and why she was doing it. In truth it was strange thinking that she was about to go and confront the Evil Queen about her _not_ committing a crime.

Regina looked up from her work when she heard the pounding on her front door. In the quiet of her large house the noise was rather jarring. Slowly removing her glasses Regina stood from her desk and walked slowly out of her office towards the foyer, hesitant to guess who would be coming to see her. And then came the sound again, this time accompanied by a voice. A demand that she open the door and Regina knew who it was. There was a momentary thought of ignoring it, what did she owe Emma Swan? She was done owing the people of Storybrooke anything. But then the realization hit her like a sucker punch to the stomach. If Emma was here knocking on her door with as much fervor as she was, then it must be Henry.

Regina didn't run but she might as well have, moving quickly from her office to the foyer, pausing only for a moment at the door. Her panic that something might be wrong with Henry momentarily replaced by the fact that she wondered if this was some sort of trick.

"Really Miss Swan, whatever it is cannot be so urgent you must break down my front door." Regina said as she pulled the door open. Emma stumbled, not expecting the door to open. For a long moment Emma stood silently her mouth hanging open slightly as she drank in the sight of the Evil Queen standing in front of her wearing jeans. She didn't even think that Regina owned jeans.

"You own jeans?" Emma blurted, her brain to mouth filter malfunctioning enough that she couldn't stop the question from escaping her lips. Her face quickly flushed bright red as the realization that she'd actually voiced the question hit her. Regina recovered from the initial shock of such a question as she looked down at her wardrobe and found that indeed she was wearing a pair of worn blue jeans and a white blouse that had long since lost its starched lines.

"You decided to break my door down just to question me about my fashion sense?" Regina asked crossing her arms over her chest. Her entire body was tense, she was prepared for a fight or whatever she was about to be accused of. That was the only reason she could think that Emma was standing on her door step. Something must have happened in town and they either needed her magic to fix it or they wanted to blame some unfortunate circumstance upon her. Either way her patience was quickly fading.

"No, sorry, I've just never seen you in jeans. I figured you didn't own any." Emma explained still wishing that she could magically reverse time back to the beginning of their conversation and never utter that question.

"What do you want Miss Swan? Contrary to popular belief I actually do have better things to do than stand here and discuss the contents of my closet with you." Regina said enjoying seeing Emma squirm. She had missed it.

"A funny thing happened to me this morning while I was at Granny's." Emma started. Finally remembering why she had been knocking on Regina's door in the first place.

"As fascinating as this story is sure to be why don't you go tell someone that actually cares about the happenings in your life. Your mother maybe, perhaps the cricket? Good day Miss Swan." Regina said ready to turn and close the door. This wasn't about Henry, if it was that's what Emma would have led in with it.

"This concerns you." Emma insisted using her arm to stop the heavy door from closing, ignoring the way that it stung. Emma saw the way Regina's shoulders went up and then back down as she sighed deeply.

"What did I do now?" Regina asked turning. For the second time in their short interaction Emma was left speechless, Regina looked…defeated. Something that she never thought she would ever see from the Evil Queen. Regina didn't know how to just give up; it was against her genetic code or something. But there she was, not the proud woman that Emma was used to seeing, but instead she stood there as a woman waiting to hear what evil things they thought about her.

"Nothing. I mean, I don't think you did anything. Did you do something? Are you plotting something because I just finished telling Neal off for accusing you of being up to something." Emma babbled walking into the foyer and closing the door behind her.

"You did what?" Regina asked confused.

"That's what I was going to tell you, I was going to tell you that this morning at Granny's I defended you to Neal. He thinks that you and Gold are up to something and I told him that there was no way that you would risk your relationship with Henry for a plot. I told him that you and Gold wouldn't have risked your lives to get us off of Neverland if you were just planning to come back here and restart old rivalries." Emma said in a rush. It reminded Regina of Henry when he was excited about something and couldn't wait to tell her. Back when they were still a family.

"Did you come here expecting gratitude? I don't need you to fight my battles for me Miss Swan. If Mr. Cassidy would like to come here and accuse me of something he knows where I live."

"Jesus Regina, why won't you let anyone be in your corner for once? It might have taken nearly dying on Neverland for me to realize it but you aren't a bad person, you've done some pretty shitty things in the past but that isn't who you are. You love Henry, enough to give up everything for him."

"I think we were on different islands then Miss Swan if you think for an instant that I am a good person. And the reason why I won't let anyone be in my corner as you so eloquently put it, is because it never lasts. You'll believe in me now, you'll say that I'm not a bad person and then something bad will happen. Because something bad always happens, and then the fingers will start pointing and even you will begin to wonder if I'm just fooling all of you and I really am that evil, heartless bitch that everyone wants me to be. So no, you may not be in my corner."

"Well you need someone."

"And why should that person be you Miss Swan? The woman who took my son away from me, the daughter of my nemesis, the one who broke my curse, tell me Miss Swan why should you be that person?"

"Because I need you too!" Emma shouted surprising both of them. Regina fell silent, looking at Emma and waiting for an explanation. Emma hated that she seemed completely unable to control herself around Regina today. She expected some harsh retort from Regina, maybe even laughter at the sudden show of weakness. Regina had never turned away from exploiting Emma's weaknesses before.

"Come with me Miss Swan I think that we both need a drink." Regina suggested turning and walking towards the kitchen. It was the first time that Emma realized that Regina wasn't wearing heels. She was barefoot. Emma had never seen Regina look casual before, and strangely enough Emma had never found Regina more attractive. Emma stood at leaning against the island in Regina's kitchen, watching the brunette go about gathering glasses and what looked like a very expensive bottle of some amber liquid.

"I didn't mean to lay all that out on you. I didn't even know that I was going to say them until I got here."

"Why are you here?"

"Why did you let Henry come home with me? You didn't even fight me." Emma countered.

"I knew what he wanted was to go be with you. Who was I to force him to come back to a place that he hates? If he comes back to stay here, I want it to be because he wants to be here. Not because I forced him. If I made him come here, then I would be every bit the Evil Queen he wants me to be." Regina explained pouring both of them a generous amount before handing Emma her glass.

"He doesn't want you to be the Evil Queen."

"It's not worth arguing over now. I am what I am, and you have your son back." Regina said taking a healthy sip from her glass and feeling the alcohol burn.

"He's still your son."

"Now he's my son? My, you are one for contradictions. Maybe that's why you're here, you want me to come back into his life so that no matter how you falter there will always be someone he hates more. Is that it Miss Swan? You want me to be your scape goat?"

"No." Emma protested quickly.

"So I hear that you and young Baelfire are giving the romance another go." Regina said changing topics. Henry would be a sore topic between the two of them for quite a while.

"How did you know that?"

"There is little that happens in this town that I don't know about. I did build it."

"I wanted to give Henry that family he wanted. I figured that if Neal and I tried again that maybe we had a shot at the happily ever after." Emma stopped when Regina started to laugh.

"How's that going for you?"

"Not well. Neal and I were never meant to last. We had a great thing eleven years ago but we're different people."

"Then perhaps you should sort that out before Henry gets into his head that he will have his fairy tale ending. Disappointing a child is the like the sharpest of knives directly to the heart of any parent."

The two women stood in a silent standoff, silent because neither knew what to say. Openness was never something that they were good at, both were too used to getting hurt. But this time there was something unspoken that put them at ease. Maybe it was an understanding that they were both tired of fighting.

"I meant it you know." Emma said suddenly, as if they had been talking the whole time.

"What?"

"That I needed you too." Emma felt her heart start to jack hammer in her chest and a lump form in her throat making it hard to breathe.

"You still need to explain that. I'm afraid I don't follow your logic." Regina said enjoying the way that the blonde woman squirmed with discomfort. Emma couldn't make statements like that and not expect to have to explain them.

"I don't know how to explain it. But ever since we got back, when you went into your self-imposed exile I've felt like something was missing. An emptiness that I don't know how to fill. I look at Henry and at my parents and I know that I should be happy because that is all I've ever wanted but keep feeling that void. And the only thing that I can think of, the only thing that is missing is you." Emma never thought in a million years that she would be asking Regina to come back into her life just to make her life difficult again. It was clear that Regina found this thought humorous too.

"Me? Miss Swan the reason that you feel the way that you do is because without me you have no one to save this town from. It takes away the purpose that you think you have and forces you to come up with a new one. You know that deep down, no matter how much you fight the role of being the Savior you are terrified that one day they won't need you anymore. You can't bear the thought of it. So you come here, hoping that I'm up to something so that you can once again prove to everyone in this town that you are worth something." Regina knew that she was being cruel and she couldn't even begin to explain why. Emma had come to her door under a flag of peace and as she always did Regina lashed out.

"You're wrong." Emma insisted, though it was becoming clear that even she didn't believe that anymore.

"Am I?"

"Look, I don't want to spend the rest of my life fighting you." Emma sighed, defeated.

"I'm afraid life will get a little boring for each of us if we didn't."

"It doesn't have to."

"Surely you aren't suggesting that we become friends." Regina couldn't fathom the thought. Being friends with the offspring of her mortal enemy? Besides the fact that she didn't want to be friends with Emma, she had never thought of Emma in a platonic way. Emma had always been a rival, the one thing that was standing in the way of her happy ending with her son. Even as time wore on and she didn't think of Emma so much as a threat but more of an annoyance Regina didn't think she and Emma would ever be friends.

"That wouldn't really be our style would it?" The glint in Emma's emerald eyes spoke of the playfulness behind her statement.

"Then what is it you want?" Regina asked tiring of the circle that the two of them seemed to be going in. Emma drained the rest of her drink in one swallow and before she could talk herself out of it crossed the length of the kitchen until she had stepped well into Regina's personal space. And in that single moment the air around them changed, filling with an all-encompassing tension where there was no sounds that passed between them but heavy breaths. They were as close as two people could be without touching.

Regina's lips parted ever so slightly, taking in a slow deep breath as the anticipation of what was about to happen actually hit her. She was the Evil Queen, she shouldn't have been nervous. But being so close to Emma, knowing that at any moment Emma was going to kiss her Regina couldn't keep her heart from beating wildly. And then Emma smiled. Something about the way that Emma smiled affected Regina and took the nervousness away. Emma wanted this. And Regina noticed that Emma's lips were trembling. Brushing the pad of her thumb against Emma's lips Regina guided the blonde's lips to hers.

The touch of Regina's lips was surprisingly gentle. Emma expected that the Evil Queen would dominate a kiss because that was just her personality. But then Emma remembered that Regina was so much more than just the Evil Queen. Regina's lips moved like a caress against Emma's, tantalizing and holding such promise. It was like a first kiss all over again, it had been a long time since either of them had experienced a kiss that had such feeling behind it. The moments that passed allowed the confidence that Emma usually carries to come back. Until Regina was actually being pushed back against the counter and Emma's hands were gripping the curve of Regina's hip to keep the former Queen from running away.

Neither of them knew who broke the kiss, but it didn't matter it felt like the natural point with which their kiss should end. But there were no words spoken between them for a long time. Allowing them to process what had just happened. And then Emma was kissing Regina again. The innocence of the first kiss gone, this second kiss was the utter release of every ounce of tension that had been building up to that moment. It was like a flood gate and they were both swept up in it.

Regina's kiss was raw, filled with the repressed passion of someone that had not been allowed to feel in many long decades. And Emma gladly let it happen to her, feeling her entire body fill with a dizzying amount of desire. Emma wasn't surprised that Regina was a good kisser, but she had never imagined that Regina would be able to make Emma's toes curl with just a kiss.

There was a brief window of time when they could have been able to stop what was happening. When their thoughts would still have been clear enough to realize the full ramifications of what they were about to do, the lines that were about to be crossed. But neither paid attention to it. Too liberated by the whiskey and too drunk off the sensations that flooded their bodies. Knowing that they were finally giving into the desires both of them had been afraid to face before.

Like most things with the two of them, even kissing was a battle of wills. Emma wanted slow, deep kisses that would allow her to savor everything that Regina was. But Regina wanted passion, she wanted it raw and if she had her way they would have fucked on the kitchen floor. Something about that made it more forgivable. But Emma wanted to take Regina to bed, not to fuck her or to have quick, emotionless sex that would probably be mind blowing Emma wanted to take Regina to bed and make love to her.

That realization came the second before she had kissed Regina. When she thought about what she was really doing there. What she truly wanted, it had always been Regina. If she took away all of the anger, all of the hurt and the bullshit and really looked at it Emma would see in flashing neon lights that she wanted Regina.

Emma stopped being able to form thoughts when Regina's tongue slid deftly between Emma's lips. It was also at that moment when they had both reached the bottom of the staircase. Emma fisted the material of Regina's top, tempted to tear it off of the former Mayor. To finally see the woman. But at the last minute she thought better of it. Letting her hands slide under the material, allowing her fingertips to feel the softness of Regina's skin.

At some point during the frenzy of passionate open mouthed kisses Emma realized that they had reached the closed door of the master bedroom and she currently had Regina pressed against it. Blindly looking for the door handle Emma managed to allow them entrance into the bedroom and fought the urge to pause long enough to look around. She'd never imaged that she would be allowed to see the inside of Regina's bedroom. But while the temptation to be a snoop was there she also couldn't bear the thought of tearing her lips away from Regina wasn't worth it.

Emma felt Regina begin to pull away from their kiss and momentarily feared that the older woman was having second thoughts. Emma's brain was too fuzzy to be able to pose a convincing enough verbal argument she was functioning on pure arousal. Reassured with a gentle tug of their joined hands Regina was leading Emma to her bed. Taking the moment to scan the room Emma took in the inner dwellings of the former Evil Queen. It was simple in its design, but elegant. The bed was clearly the center piece of the room, a king sized bed with a rich mahogany frame and four posters leading up to a canopy. In the far corner Emma could see a desk and a vanity but she didn't pay too close attention to it when she saw Regina sit on the bed.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Regina asked, the first words that were spoken since they were down in the kitchen.

"You have no idea how much." Feeling her mouth go dry as Regina crawled slowly back onto the bed until she was leaning against the headboard Emma had to fight the urge to leap onto the bed. Especially when she saw Regina beginning to undo the buttons of her blouse. By the time that Emma did reach Regina, resting her weight on her hands and knees Regina's shit had fallen open revealing a simple white bra with lace accents. Clearly she had been planning on seducing anyone when she'd put the bra on that morning but she was doing a fine job without trying.

"You're breathtaking." Emma commented raking her gaze down Regina's slender neck, down across her collar bone until she saw the swell of perfect breasts. Dragging her finger down along the valley between Regina's breasts, a cocky smirk on her face when she heard Regina inhale sharply. Feeling the way that Regina's skin trembled under her fingertips Emma could have spent hours just experiencing this sensation.

Done playing the passive member Regina hooked her leg around Emma and rolled them so that she was on top. For a moment Emma looked startled by the sudden change in their position but didn't complain after Regina lowered her mouth onto Emma's neck. Ghosting hot, open mouthed kisses up and down the side of Emma's neck, tracing along the vein Regina enjoyed making Emma whimper. Of its own volition Emma's body arched against Regina's, desperate for more contact. The roughness of their jeans creating a delicious friction that was driving both of them wild.

Tracing the bottom of Emma's tank top with the nail of her index finger Regina heard Emma take in a shuttering breath. Bringing the tank top of slowly, intentionally taking her time to prolong the moment until the anticipation became too much. Pulling Emma up into a sitting position Regina pulled the fabric over Emma's head and tossed it behind her not really caring where it landed. Regina had always known Emma was beautiful, as much as she had tried to fight that knowledge it was indisputable. But seeing the woman before her, taking in the taut abdominal muscles and feeling their strength under her hand it sent a new rush of desire through her.

"See something you like Madam Mayor?" Emma asked playfully before leaning forward and nipping at the skin of Regina's jaw line.

"A few things." Emma found herself pushed back onto the mattress and was left to watch Regina slowly unbutton her blouse until Regina was wearing only her bra. And again Emma was astounded to think that even though Regina hadn't planned on this happening Regina was absolutely gorgeous.

Regina looked down at Emma, seeing the desire in Emma's eyes the want to sit up and throw Regina down on the bed and have her way with the former Queen. It was a rare thing that Regina actually wanted Emma to take charge. Regina was tired of being the dominant one. Somehow it seemed like Emma could read Regina's thoughts and before she knew what was happening Emma had spun them and Regina was pinned down on the mattress. Her jeans were quickly discarded and kicked to the base of the bed, taking most of the sheets with them. There was a brief hesitation, pausing everything so that Emma could look into Regina's eyes and see if the brunette wanted her to stop. If Regina had any doubt then she would stop. But Emma didn't see anything.

The first touches of Emma's fingers on Regina's skin were gentle and exploratory, feeling the slick, wet heat of Regina's arousal. Emma couldn't look away, drinking in the way that Regina's gasped sharply and then breathed out through her nose biting her bottom lip to swallow any noise she might have made. Something told Emma that Regina wasn't usually one to make a lot of noise in bed. While there was a large part of her that wanted to travel down Regina's body and taste the brunette, but at the same time she wanted to see the look on Regina's face when she finally came undone. There would be plenty of time for indulging in that desire later.

As time passed Emma's movements grew more insistent, as she learned what Regina liked and what would make Regina gasp she became more confident. The pad of her thumb circling around the tight bundle of nerves making Regina squirm. Regina felt her rational mind begin slipping away, giving into the pleasure that Emma was evoking. It wasn't a quick, flash burn of pleasure that Regina was used to. Sex was a means to an end, trying to reach orgasm as quickly as possible because that was what the physical urge required. But this was different, this was a slow building that Regina could feel in every part of her body. The tingle, the tendrils of pleasure that robbed her of control of her limbs. Regina couldn't help but reach for the pillow, grasping at the fabric and clenching it in her fist.

"Em-ma." Regina moaned arching up into Emma's hand, slowly going crazy from the pleasure that the blonde was giving her. Pushing one finger, and then two into the brunette and feeling Regina tighten around her. From the way that Regina was beginning to tremble, the jerkiness of her movements and the desperation in the sounds that she made Emma knew that Regina was close.

When Regina felt the first wave of climax she didn't fight it, she wasn't afraid of losing control. She just let the pleasure take over, it hit her like a tidal wave and she was powerless to fight it, all she could do was let it wash over her. The only thing that she could do was clutch onto Emma and the sheets to keep her grounded and Emma held onto her with strong arms. When the pleasure ebbed Regina fell back against the mattress, chest heaving as she tried to pull air into her lungs like she'd never breathed before.

Running her hand through her hair Regina looked up at Emma who hovered over her with quite a smug smile on her face.

"You should let go more often." Emma said, she could feel the throbbing of her arousal between her legs but at that moment she would have happily laid with Regina for the rest of the day if it meant that Regina would keep that carefree look on her face.

"My turn."

They spent hours discovering each other's bodies, sometimes it would be slow and leisurely love making and other times it would be hard and fast and it would leave them both tearing at the sheets for something to muffle their screams. Emma had never imagined that Regina could be such an attentive lover, she always assumed that Regina liked to just take. But Regina seemed determined to find each and every way that she could bring Emma to orgasm, and once she knew it she perfected it. Emma was pretty sure she'd never felt so good in her entire life.

Emma woke slowly, with the leisure of someone who was utterly content. The bedroom was filled with the last attempts of daylight before the sun went down for the night. It let Emma see a silhouetted form sitting on the window ledge looking outward. Sitting up, bringing Regina's Egyptian cotton sheet up to cover her still bare chest Emma took the opportunity to admire the unreserved beauty that was the former Queen. Regina looked breathtaking basked in the falling light of the sun, in deep red and purple hues that made her look younger.

"You should go." Regina uttered so softly that Emma almost didn't hear it. she hadn't known that Regina was aware that she was awake.

"Why?" Emma found herself asking though if she thought about it she could probably figure out the answer. They had just spent the entire day making love, hours of mind numbing pleasure before exhaustion claimed them both.

"You've been here all day. You left your phone downstairs. I'm sure after a while someone will come looking for you. I don't think you want them to see you like this." Regina said still with her back to Emma. She couldn't bear to see the look on Emma's face, not knowing what Emma was thinking and feeling. Afraid that she might see regret in Emma's eyes.

"I'm not ashamed of what we did Regina." Emma stated. She was surprisingly happy about what had happened and hoped that it meant that the two of them might be moving towards a new side of their ever changing relationship.

"It shouldn't have happened. At least not the way that it did. And I'm not going to be responsible for ruining Henry's family again." Regina said finally turning, she wore one of her blouses but Emma couldn't tell if she was wearing anything underneath.

"You wouldn't be ruining his family Regina. You are a part of that family." Emma argued. She didn't want to give up on the thought that they might be able to make it work. Now that she had experienced it, known at least in some part what it would be like to be with Regina she didn't want to give that up.

"I don't think he's going to see it that way when we explain to him that his mother cheated on his father with his adoptive mother. I'm sorry Emma but I can't stand the hatred I know will be in his eyes. I'm not strong enough to go through that again." Regina wanted Emma to understand that it wasn't that she was rejecting Emma.

"So what do we do? Pretend that this never happened?" Emma asked growing increasingly angry at the thought.

"No, it happened. And I don't regret it either. I think that this was where we were headed the entire time. Either that or eventually we would have killed each other." Regina said a smile tugging at her lips, trying to lighten the mood. It worked. At least in some small way because Emma's shoulders relaxed.

"I can't…" Emma stopped trying to form her thoughts while every instinct, every urge she had was go to Regina and shaking some sense into her. Arguing with her that they could make it work. "I don't want to go on like this didn't happen. I don't even know if I can. I can't forget the way you feel, the way you taste. Regina why?"

"Because the Evil Queen and the Savior? There is no way that will work Emma. You know that just as well as I do. I'm a villain, I don't get a happy ending. But you, you can. Go find it." There was something so heart breaking about the way that Regina said those words. However untrue Emma knew them to be, Regina genuinely believed them.

"I guess I'll go then." Emma said starting to get up.

"Are you hungry?" Regina asked, the question seemed so oddly domestic that it caught Emma off guard.

"Uh, I guess."

"I'll make something for you. Get dressed."

Emma watched Regina stand and go, and it was only then that she found that Regina was wearing what had to be the sexiest pair of boy shorts Emma had ever seen. When Emma descended the stairs after putting on her jeans she could smell the aroma of breakfast.

"Smells good."

"Nothing special, eggs and toast." Emma circled around the counter and pressed against Regina's body from behind, kissing Regina's shoulder through her shirt.

"It is special."

They ate in relative silence, both processing what had just happened between them. but there was none of the awkwardness that was expected given that once Emma left Regina's home they had to pretend that it never happened. Emma attributed it to the knowledge that they both wanted it, and were it under different circumstances they would be having a very different conversation. Regina was trying to be noble, she was trying to do what she thought was best for Emma. And no matter how much Emma might have hated it, she still appreciated it.

Their silence was interrupted when Emma's phone, which had gone ignored on the counter sprang to life. The Caller-ID read 'Mary Margaret'. She hadn't gotten around to changing it to say Snow White. There was still something that still kept her from being able to fully wrap her mind around the thought.

"You should answer that. Knowing your mother as I do, if you keep avoiding her she'll just show up." Emma sighed, defeated and picked up her phone.

"Hey Mary Margaret. I'm fine, I'm at Regina's. I promise everything is fine, we're just talking. Yes all day. Okay, yeah, I'll be home soon. Okay bye." Emma said as she hung up and tossed the phone down on the counter with a loud thud.

"I told you." Regina said softly.

"Doesn't mean I want to go."

"But you're going to. Go home Emma, go be with Henry. He should be with one of his mother's tonight." Regina said as she began collecting their plates and putting them in the sink.

"Can I come back tomorrow?"

"I don't think that's a good idea Emma."

"Just to talk."

"Good evening Miss Swan."

**End Chapter One **

_**A/N: So what do you guys think?**_


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